Feeder-hopper for receptacle cap



June 2, 1964 Filed April 28, 1961 J. C. JOHNSON ETAL FEEDER-HOPPER FOR RECEPTACLE CAP 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS.

Jalm C1 11072215012 BY Wafferfji lfohhsvn ATTORNEY June 2. 1964 J. c. JOHNSON ETAL FEEDER-HOPPER FOR RECEPTACLE CAP 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1961 INVENTORS.

3; John C', J0/N25072 BY Wa/zerlizhfmsm ATTORNEY June 2 1964 Filed April 28, 1961 J. C. JOHNSON ETAL FEEDER-HOPPER FOR RECEPTACLB CAP 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. ,l Mn C Lia/$215012 Wa/ferAh/bnsorz Filed Apr. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 106,380 r Claims. (Cl. 221168) Our invention relates generally toimprovements in hoppers for feeding metal crown caps for bottles or other.

. receptacles.

Crown caps must be fed to spotting mabhines (machines whichattach to the cork in the cap, a disc which is impervious to the contents of the bottle or container), fed to assembly machines (machines which apply a cork disc inside the crown), or fed to a crowning machine (a machine which applies the crown to a bottle or. other receptacle or container to seal the contents in that container).

Specifically, our invention relates to such a hopper especially designed to properly orient or feed flip-top crown caps (caps which have a lip extending beyond the crown), constructed somewhat in. accordance with U8. Patent 2,750,062. 1 I,

It is among the objects of' our invention to provide a device which will select from a mixed mass of random oriented caps, a series of caps which are oriented with their faces and lips all in a preselected direction;-

Another object of our invention is to orient selected crowns or caps sothat they are fed into a discharge chute V improperly faced caps.

These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the device illustrated in the drawings inwhich: i

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional side view;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view, with the selectorplate pivoted away from the hopper;

FIGURE 3 is a partial front view of the portion of the crown-tracks defined by the front wall of the'hopper;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the hopper with the selector-plate pivoted closed;

FIGURE 5' is a partial sectional view of the hopper and selector-plate, showing a cap being refused passage; and v FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view of the hopper and selector-plate showing a cap oriented to pass.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the present invention provides a hopper 11 into which a random oriented mass of caps 12 is dumped. There is a baffle 13 in the hopper to limit the number caps' which reach a selector-plate 14. The hopper 11 is provided with a front wall 15, having an aperture 16 through which crowns 12 in the hopper 11 may pass into engagement with the selector-plate 14. The selector-plate 14 is mounted on a pivoted bracket 17 and arranged for rotation thereon.

The selector-plate 14 covers the front wall 15 of the hopper 11 andcloses the aperture 16 in the front wall 15.

Between the front wall 15 of the hopper 11 andthe UnitedStates Patent 0 is presented (as shown in FIGURE 6) to the rotating selector-plate 14, (4070 r.p.m.) the crown 12 may tilt passing into an offset portion on the front wall 15 extending circumferentially around the shoulder 19 and located radially inwardly therefrom. The caps 12slip past the shoulder 19 on the front wall 15 whereupon it will fall between the front wall 15 and the selector-plate 14 into a second track 20. 3

If, however, the orientationof the crownis such (as shown in-FIGURE 5) that its concave face is not toward the selector-plate 14, but is in abutment with'the front wall 15' of the hopper 11, '(which-is higher than the cap and lip above the shoulder 19) then the cap 12 cannot slide from the first track 18 into the second track 20, because the space between the front Wall 15 and the selectorplate .14 is only wide enough to keep the cap 12 with its bottom edge on the shoulder 19, and its lip 21 against the front wall 15 as shown in FIGURE 5. In this position, the cap 12 is jammedbetween the selector-plate 14,"and the front wall 15 because its bottom edge is on the shoulder 19 and the lip 21 is jammed "against the front wall 15. The top of the cap is against the edge ,54 of an offset portion on the selector plate 14 extending circumferentially around the selector plate and toward the front wall 15, and the radially outward concave bottom 23 faces the front wall 15. The edge 54 is the commencement of an offset portion of the selector-plate 14 and is above the shoulder 19 less than the diameter of the cap .12.

On the other hand, when the concave bottom 23 faces the selector-plate 14, the edge 54 does not prevent the movement of the cap 12 from the cap position shown by the solid lines in FIGURE 6, to the cap position showing the cap 12 in dotted lines. The lip 21 may tilt and the bottom edge of the cap can slip off the shoulder 19 into the second track 20.

A plurality of pins 24 are mounted on springs 25, and

protrude through holes in the selector-plate 14. As the selector-plate 14 is revolved, the pins 24 will engage the improperly oriented (jammed) caps 12 retained in the first track 18 and gently nudge them along the track 18 until they aremoved upwardly to the end 26 of the first track 18 and fall back into hopper 11.

- On the other hand, these same pins 24, when they encounter a properly oriented cap 12 (onenot jammed) will gently nudge it off the shoulder 19 and intothe second track 20. a The crowns 12 in the second track 20 are engaged by ejector pins 27 mounted on springs 28 extending-through the selector-plate 14 where they are held and are moved along an arcuate flange 29 which defines the bottom of the second track 21) or feed track.

fall oif the fiange'29 which defines the floor of the second track 211, into thethird or outlet-track 30, the lip '21 (or flip-top) is oriented upwardly, or to the left. i A third set of pins 31 in the selector-plate 14 gently contact and nudge these caps 12 as they gravitationally move counter clockwise in the third track 30. The caps 12 encounter and rest on an enlargement defining a floor 32 in the third track 30. This floor32 engages the edge of the cap 12, but permits the lip '21 to extend beyond it to engage an arcuate boss 33. The edge of the cap 12 is confined within the track 30. If the lip 21 by chance extends in a downward direction as indicated in FIGURE 3 by cap 12a, the lip 21 will engage the arcuate boss 33 and lift the cap 12a above the floor 32 to leave the space 34; The

frictional engagement of the lip 21 with the boss 33 will turn the cap 12:: to the position shown by cap 12b, the lip 21 on which has engaged a pin 35.

The lip 21 cannot pass the pin 35 until it turns upwardly, whereupon the cap 12b, like all of its successor caps 12 7 etc., falls into the discharge chute 36, uniformly faced,

with the lips 21 extending upwardly. If the lip 21 is not directed downwardly, the boss 33 will have no effect on the orientation of the crown so that it may move into the discharge chute 36 past the orientation pin 35.

Thus, every cap 12 which reaches the orientation pin 35 is positioned with its lip 21 extending in a direction opposite to its counter clockwise course of movement, and the cap 12 may slide beyond the end of the boss 33 and the orientation pin 35 into the discharge chute 36. Each crown will have its lip 21 or flip-top rotated so as to extend in an upward direction. Thus, the hopper orientates. the lip 21 or flip-top of the cap 21 so that they all enter the feeder chute 36 with their lip 21 extended in an upward direction. I

The pins 31, extend through holes in the selector-plate 14 at the urging of light springs 37. Their gentle contact with the caps 12 is only suflicient to joggle the caps to prevent jamming and to cause themto gravitationally slide into the discharge chute 36.

The selector-plate 14 is mounted on the bracket 17, and a pivot pin 38 enables the selector-plate 14 to be swung open as shown in FIGURE 21. A motor 39, drives the speed reducer 40, which drives the pulley 41. A belt 42 connects the pulley 41 tothe large pulley 43. The large pulley 43 is mounted for rotationon the bracket 17. The selector-plate 14 is rotated by the large pulley 43. The free end of the bracket 17 is secured to the hopper 11 by the hinged bolt 44 and wing-nut 45 which fit into a'slot 46 in the bracket 17. I

The operation of a feeder-hopper is as follows. A quantity of caps 12 is deposited in the hopper 11. They fall into the. first track 18. Those caps 12 with concave faces forward are nudged by the pins 24 and slide over the shoulder 19 into the secondtrack 21). Those caps 12 with their flat faces forward cannot slide over the shoulder 19 and are nudged along the first track 18 until they reach the end 26 and fall back into the hopper 11. The caps 12 in the second track 20 are nudged by the pins 27 along the flange 29 until the end, when they fall into the third track 30. The caps 12 are then jogged by the pins 31 so that their lips 21 are all oriented upwardly and they move into the discharge chute 36.

The flip-top cap (i.e. cap 12 with the lip 21) represents a striking advance in capping because it eliminates the need for theoften-unavailable opener. The flip-top cap can be easily removed by the thumb. Feeder used presently to bring caps into spotting machines, assembly machines, and crowning machines will orient caps front and back, but will not orient the lips 21. The machines receiving caps with un-oriented lips 21 will jam and break. The result would be that the striking advance represented by the flip-top cap would not be available to the public because the caps, unless properly oriented before feeding are incompatible with the known machines. Thepresent feeder orients the flip-top cap and makes it available with these machines.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate (b) a front wall on the hopper having a cap discharge aperture therein, 7

(c) a selector-plate mounted for rotation in spaced relation to the front wall with the space between the selec- 5 tor-plate and the front wall just sufficiently wide to receive a cap edgewise,

(d) means to drive the selector-plate,

(e) an arcuate shoulder on the front wall positioned arcuately around the cap discharge aperture and lo 1 cated radially outwardly from the said discharge aperture, the arcuate shoulder extending outwardly from the front wall toward the selector-plate to define a first track,

(1) an offset portion on the selector-plate extending V circumferentially around the selector-plate and toward said front wall, the radially outward edge of said offset portion being located radially inwardly from said shoulder a distance less than the diameter of a cap, 7 Y I g0 (g) an offset portion on the front wall extending circumferentially around said shoulder and located radially inwardly from the shoulder to' define with the offset portion on the selector-plate a second track just sufliciently wide to receive a cap edgewise,

(h) the space between the radially outward edge of the offset portion on the selector-plate and the front wall being just sufficienly wide to permit a cap to tilt and enter the second track only when the concave face of a cap is oriented in the direction of the said radially outward edge of the selector-plate offset portion, and

(i) a discharge chute communicating with the second track.

2. A feeder-hopper for receptacle caps of the type having a concave crown and a lip thereon comprising;

(a) thestructure in accordance with claim 1 and,

(b) a relatively thin, arcuate flange on the front wall extending circumferentially around the shoulder and toward the selector-plate and located radially out- 40 wardly from the shoulder to define a bottom to the said second track, the said flange extending circumferentially past the discharge chute and located radially inwardly therefrom, and

(c) a second offset portion on the front wall extending circumferentially around the shoulder and toward the selector-plate and located radially outwardly from the arcuate flange defining with the said flange a third track' which communicates with both the second track and the discharge chute, and which is just sufliciently wide to receive a cap'edgewise.

3. A feeder-hopper for receptacle caps of the type having a concave crown and a lip thereon comprising;

(a) the structure in accordance with claim 2 and,

(b) a second arcuate flange on the second offset portion on the front wall extending circumferentially around the shoulder and toward the selector-plate and located radially outwardly from the said second offset portion,

. (c) the space between the second ofi's'et portion on the front wall and the selector-plate being just sufliciently wide to receive a lip on a cap edgewise,

(d) the radial width of the third track being slightly greater thanthe diameter of a cap, and

(e) the radial distance between the second arcuate flange on the second offset portion on the front wall and the radially inward edge of the said second offset portion being slightly less than the length of a lip on a cap.

4. A feeder-hopper for receptacle caps of the type having a concave crown and a lip thereon comprising;

.(a) a hopper,

(b) a front wall on the hopper having a cap discharge aperture therein,

(0) a selector-plate mounted for rotation in spaced relation to the front wall with the space between the selector-plate and the front wall just sufficiently wide to receive a cap edgewise,

(d) means to drive the selector-plate,

(e) an arcuate shoulder on the front wall positioned arcuately around the cap discharge aperture and located radially outwardly from the said discharge aperture, the arcuate shoulder extending outwardly from the front wall toward the selector-plate to define a first track, a

(1) an offset portion on the selector-plate extending circumferentially around the selector-plate and toward said front wall, the radially outward edge of said offset portion being located radially inwardly from said shoulder a distance less than the diameter of a (g) an oflset portion on the front wall extending circumferentially around said shoulder and located radially inwardly from the shoulder to define with the offset portion on the selector-plate a second track just sufliciently wide to receive a cap edgewise,

(h) the space between the radially outward edge of the offset portion on the selector-plate and the front wall being just sufficiently wide to permit a cap to tilt and enter the second track only when the concave face of a cap is oriented in the direction of the said radially outward edge of the selector plate offset portion,

(i) a relatively thin, arcuate flange on the front wall extending circumferentially around the shoulder and toward the selector-plate and located radially outwardly from the shoulder to define a bottom to the said second track, the said flange extending circumferentially past the discharge chute and located radially inwardly therefrom,

(j) a second offset portion on the front wall extending circumferentially around the shoulder and toward the selector-plate and located radially outwardly from the arcuate flange defining with the said flange a third track which is just sufficiently wide to receive a cap edgewise, the third track communicating with the second track,

(k) a discharge chute communicating with the end of the third track opposite the second track,

(I) a second arcuate flange on the second offset portion on the front wall extending circumferentially around the shoulder and toward the selector-plate and located radially outwardly from the said second offset portion,

(In) the space between the second ofiset portion on the front wall and the selector-plate being just sufliciently wide to receive a lip on a cap edgewise,

(n) the radial width of the third track being slightly greater than the diameter of a cap,

(0) the radial distance between the second arcuate flange the second otfset portion on the front wall and the radially inward edge of the said second offset portion being slightly less than the length of a lip on a cap, and

(p) a pin on the second offset portion on the front wall at the end of the second arcuate flange adjacent to the discharge chute and extending toward the selector-plate.

5. A feeder-hopper for receptacle caps of the type having a concave crown and a lip thereon comprising;

(a) the structure in accordance with claim 4 and (b) a plurality of spring-loaded pins, each extending through an aperture in the selector-plate to jog caps between the front wall and the selector-plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A FEEDER-HOPPER FOR RECEPTACLE CAPS OF THE TYPE HAVING A CONCAVE CROWN AND A LIP THEREON COMPRISING; (A) A HOPPER, (B) A FRONT WALL ON THE HOPPER HAVING A CAP DISCHARGE APERTURE THEREIN, (C) A SELECTOR-PLATE MOUNTED FOR ROTATION IN SPACED RELATION TO THE FRONT WALL WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SELECTOR-PLATE AND THE FRONT WALL JUST SUFFICIENTLY WIDE TO RECEIVE A CAP EDGEWISE, (D) MEANS TO DRIVE THE SELECTOR-PLATE, (E) AN ARCUATE SHOULDER ON THE FRONT WALL POSITIONED ARCUATELY AROUND THE CAP DISCHARGE APERTURE AND LOCATED RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE SAID DISCHARGE APERTURE, THE ARCUATE SHOULDER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE FRONT WALL TOWARD THE SELECTOR-PLATE TO DEFINE A FIRST TRACK, (F) AN OFFSET PORTION ON THE SELECTOR-PLATE EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AROUND THE SELECTOR-PLATE AND TOWARD SAID FRONT WALL, THE RADIALLY OUTWARD EDGE OF SAID OFFSET PORTION BEING LOCATED RADIALLY INWARDLY FROM SAID SHOULDER A DISTANCE LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF A CAP, (G) AN OFFSET PORTION ON THE FRONT WALL EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AROUND SAID SHOULDER AND LOCATED RADIALLY INWARDLY FROM THE SHOULDER TO DEFINE WITH THE OFFSET PORTION ON THE SELECTOR-PLATE A SECOND TRACK JUST SUFFICIENTLY WIDE TO RECEIVE A CAP EDGEWISE, (H) THE SPACE BETWEEN THE RADIALLY OUTWARD EDGE OF THE OFFSET PORTION ON THE SELECTOR-PLATE AND THE FRONT WALL BEING JUST SUFFICIENTLY WIDE TO PERMIT A CAP TILT AND ENTER THE SECOND TRACK ONLY WHEN THE CONCAVE FACE OF A CAP IS ORIENTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SAID RADIALLY OUTWARD EDGE OF THE SELECTOR-PLATE OFFSET PORTION, SAID (I) A DISCHARGE CHUTE COMMUNICATING WITH THE SECOND TRACK. 